Robin Roberts Addresses Smollett Interview: At the Time, Police Called His Account ‘Credible’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT ROBERTS We ░░░░░░░░ in Dan Abrams our ░░░░░░░░ legal analyst The question ░░░░░░░░ many people are asking ░░░░░░░░ indeed this is true ░░░░░░░░ kind of charges could ░░░░░░░░ be facing ABRAMS In ░░░░░░░░ filing a false police ░░░░░░░░ is a felony He ░░░░░░░░ face three years behind ░░░░░░░░ If they become convinced ░░░░░░░░ this is a hoax ░░░░░░░░ this didn t happen ░░░░░░░░ they re going to ░░░░░░░░ the book at him ░░░░░░░░ that they would try ░░░░░░░░ make sure that he ░░░░░░░░ at least some time ░░░░░░░░ connection with this ROBERTS ░░░░░░░░ enforcement officials are telling ░░░░░░░░ News that they are ░░░░░░░░ to corroborate the brothers ░░░░░░░░ How do they go ░░░░░░░░ police officers piecing together ░░░░░░░░ story ABRAMS They want ░░░░░░░░ find objective evidence They ░░░░░░░░ to find texts E ░░░░░░░░ Electronic receipts maybe just ░░░░░░░░ important as anything They ░░░░░░░░ going to be looking ░░░░░░░░ your interview that you ░░░░░░░░ with him as well ░░░░░░░░ that interview he specifically ░░░░░░░░ yeah those two guys ░░░░░░░░ the surveillance footage those ░░░░░░░░ the guy when is ░░░░░░░░ me So now he ░░░░░░░░ sort of boxed in ░░░░░░░░ say yeah I said ░░░░░░░░ were the two guys ░░░░░░░░ ve now identified who ░░░░░░░░ two guys were And ░░░░░░░░ s going the be ░░░░░░░░ part of the piecing ░░░░░░░░ this together ROBERTS This ░░░░░░░░ is ever evolving Head ░░░░░░░░ Changing When I sat ░░░░░░░░ with Jussie it was ░░░░░░░░ night in Chicago at ░░░░░░░░ time to give his ░░░░░░░░ account publicly give his ░░░░░░░░ account of what he ░░░░░░░░ happened And we have ░░░░░░░░ remember at that time ░░░░░░░░ Tuesday police officers were ░░░░░░░░ that his account was ░░░░░░░░ it was credible and ░░░░░░░░ he was being cooperative ░░░░░░░░ was all before the ░░░░░░░░ aired on Thursday and ░░░░░░░░ we found out about ░░░░░░░░ brothers The police often ░░░░░░░░ something publicly but behind ░░░░░░░░ scenes Dan it s ░░░░░░░░ different ABRAMS Absolutely They ░░░░░░░░ to give him the ░░░░░░░░ of the doubt You ░░░░░░░░ t want to go ░░░░░░░░ and publicly start questioning ░░░░░░░░ who talk about a ░░░░░░░░ attack like this Until ░░░░░░░░ ve got the goods ░░░░░░░░ they re still being ░░░░░░░░ now I have to ░░░░░░░░ Robin even in the ░░░░░░░░ you did you were ░░░░░░░░ about the skeptic The ░░░░░░░░ who questioned his account ░░░░░░░░ it s not new ░░░░░░░░ idea that there are ░░░░░░░░ about what happened What ░░░░░░░░ new is that the ░░░░░░░░ now seem to be ░░░░░░░░ it clear that they ░░░░░░░░ the brothers and have ░░░░░░░░ the very least serious ░░░░░░░░ about Jussie HOST If ░░░░░░░░ made this up what ░░░░░░░░ of impact does this ░░░░░░░░ on other people that ░░░░░░░░ forward to tell stories ░░░░░░░░ are true about assault ░░░░░░░░ I think that is ░░░░░░░░ real impact here I ░░░░░░░░ this would have a ░░░░░░░░ impact on the country ░░░░░░░░ is you want to ░░░░░░░░ I mean you re ░░░░░░░░ about an allegation of ░░░░░░░░ racism politics all of ░░░░░░░░ in one allegation If ░░░░░░░░ turns out that this ░░░░░░░░ known person just made ░░░░░░░░ up it s going ░░░░░░░░ I think lead some ░░░░░░░░ to have questions about ░░░░░░░░ forward It will lead ░░░░░░░░ having questions about whether ░░░░░░░░ believe people s accounts ░░░░░░░░ is having a much ░░░░░░░░ impact than just on ░░░░░░░░ particular case ROBERTS All ░░░░░░░░ the board STRAHAN Could ░░░░░░░░ a big setback if ░░░░░░░░ s the case ABRAMS ░░░░░░░░ STRAHAN: “Thank you, Dan.”